Latest news with #Flett
CBC
03-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Closing arguments heard in $5B First Nations housing class action lawsuit
Chiefs and citizens from First Nations across Canada involved in a class action lawsuit against Canada for failing to provide adequate housing descended on Winnipeg this week to have their voices heard. The lawsuit, which was heard in Federal Court this week in Winnipeg, alleges Canada has "deliberately underfunded housing on reserves," while simultaneously isolating First Nations by imposing restrictions on their ability to provide housing for themselves. St. Theresa Point First Nation in Manitoba and Sandy Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario filed the lawsuit in 2023. Over 100 First Nations have opted in to the class action. Elder Delores Fiddler of Sandy Lake First Nation was one of many to share the impact of the housing crisis has had on her family. Her 19-year-old granddaughter died from Blastomycosis, a fungal infection contracted by inhaling mould spores. "They did an autopsy on her. They told me why she died. She died of that mould. Do you guys have a mouldy house they told us? Yeah, it's all mouldy," said Fiddler. "We make a tent outside to have fresh air so we don't have to breathe in whatever is inside our home." Jonovan Flett, a father of two from St. Theresa Point, grew up in ten different houses in the community. Flett explained that he had to constantly move because everywhere his family ended up was overcrowded. "None of this is normal," said said Flett. "It's not normal for babies to be covered in rashes because their houses are infested with mould." Grand Chief Alex McDougall of Anisininew Okimawin, an organization that represents St. Theresa Point and other Anisininew Nations in the same region, said, the issue is a "longstanding failure" of the federal government and the provincial partners "who must be reminded of the sacred obligation embedded in our treaties." "Canada forced us onto the reserves, which were slivers of our traditional territories and they deprived us from maintaining our self-sustaining ways of life that have been practised by our ancestors for thousands of years," said co-lead plaintiff, Chief Raymond Flett of St. Theresa Point. "Now, Canada says it has no responsibility to provide housing on reserve." The class action is seeking $5 billion in damages. "The Plaintiffs urged the Court to recognize that the housing crisis on reserve is the direct result of state conduct, and asked the Court to recognize that Canada has a legal duty to take reasonable measures to ensure the Class has access to adequate housing," said Alana Robert, plaintiff's legal counsel, in an email sent to CBC Indigenous. Canada said in its statement of defense it acknowledges St. Theresa Point's claim that some housing sub-divisions lack running water and sewerage service today but that the claim should be dismissed. "Canada does not owe any legal obligations or duties to build and maintain houses on-reserve," the statement of defense read. The final arguments were heard on Thursday. A final decision is expected in the coming months.
Winnipeg Free Press
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
First Nations people rally for housing as class action suit heard in Winnipeg
About 100 people rallied downtown as a class action lawsuit that accuses the federal government of failing to address the housing crisis on First Nations was front and centre in a Winnipeg courtroom Wednesday. 'Some of the houses are deplorable, they're not livable, and a lot of our people, they have no choice but to live there,' said St. Theresa Point First Nation Chief Raymond Flett outside the Anishininew Okimawin building on Broadway. St. Theresa Point First Nation in Manitoba and Sandy Lake First Nation in northwest Ontario filed the suit in 2023. More than 100 First Nations have signed on. The case is being heard this week in federal court. The suit seeks $5 billion in damages. ALEX LAMBERT / FREE PRESS Rally participant Chloe Kakepetum (left) hugs Myrna Mawakeesic, who says she developed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease because of the constant flooding her house gets every spring in Sandy Lake, Ont. The rally, in support of a lawsuit against the federal government, was at Anishininew Okimawin on Broadway. Flett said Ottawa has failed to provide adequate housing on First Nations. 'A house, even though it's not that old, but the material used to build that house is cheap material — they don't last,' said Flett. 'Most of the houses only have two or three bedrooms… that is not right for us, a lot of families they have four adults, five children living in a house.' He said its hard for residents to maintain houses in small communities because of the lack of resources. 'You have a broken door and want to fix it? We can't just go to the store and buy it,' Flett said. 'You have to fly it in, and that's extra, a lot of extra money that we don't have.' Former St. Theresa Point chief Elvin Flett, and Toronto-based firm McCarthy Tétrault LLP filed a statement of claim in June 2023 that alleged Canada 'deliberately underfunded housing on reserves,' while simultaneously isolating First Nations by imposing restrictions on their ability to provide housing for themselves. 'They're the ones that put us in there in the first place, they have to honour that,' said Raymond Flett. The chief wants to see an equal partnership with the Canadian government to improve housing and development. Flett said he is hopeful it will happen. The statement of claim said of the 646 houses in St. Theresa Point, 25 per cent should be condemned due to severe decay and rotting. It also said more than half of the houses in Sandy Lake require major repairs. One woman from Sandy Lake said she developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease because of the poor condition her house is in. She said she has had trouble breathing for years because her house floods every spring. 'We want our kids to have better housing than what we have right now,' said Myrna Mawakeesic, 57, who was also part of the rally. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Another rallygoer said she wanted to help make a difference. 'Monkey see monkey do, when you see someone fighting for something that they like, then you'll get inspired by something you like,' said 18-year-old Kariya Kakepetum, who is also from Sandy Lake. 'What I love is my community.' Canada argued in its 2024 statement of defence the country 'does not owe any legal obligations or duties to build and maintain houses on-reserve. The claim should be dismissed.' St. Theresa Point, 465 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, is one of four First Nations that make up the Island Lake region in northeastern Manitoba. The community of 5,200 people is accessible by plane or ice road for six weeks out of the year. fpcity@
CBC
25-04-2025
- General
- CBC
WW II postcard campaign reminds Canadian homeowners that fallen 'lived where you live'
Over the last week, selected homes across Canada received poignant reminders of military members who fought and died in the final months of the Second World War. Each address was mailed a postcard with the name, story and fate of an individual soldier, sailor or airman who had lived there prior to enlisting in Canada's war effort. As part of its "He Lived Where You Live" program, the Juno Beach Centre — Canada's war memorial museum in Normandy, France — issued postcards to 1,945 addresses to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945. At their Toronto home, Gary Domski and his family recently received a postcard commemorating Pte. Peter Forbes Flett, a member of the Highland Light Infantry of Canada who died on Nov. 2, 1944, at the age of 20 — two days after he was wounded fighting in the Netherlands. Flett is buried at the Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in Belgium. Domski said in an interview Thursday that he was already familiar with Flett's story prior to receiving the postcard because of a letter that had been dropped off by one of the late soldier's relatives. It detailed the family's history at the residence, which Domski bought about 10 years ago. 'It's a great thing to unify the country' He said he tries to make sure his three children are aware of Canadian history, adding that getting the postcard "connects you personally to the event and to the sacrifice." "It definitely brings a different perspective to someone that lost their life, and being a parent with a son it kind of hits you," Domski said. "This (card) is a great reminder ... and I think it's a great thing to unify the country." Sal Falk, a spokesperson for the Juno Beach Centre Association, said the aim is to pay tribute to Canada's war fallen, while making sure that communities can connect with the personal stories and the overall history of the war. "It's a pivotal moment in Canada as we all know with a heightened sense of pride and trying to figure out our identity," said Falk. "I think this is a piece of Canadian history that everyone can rally behind, understanding that people who served from across the country ... came from every walk of life, every neighbourhood and every community." Over the last two years the centre conducted research using digitized files from Library and Archives Canada as well as the archives of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to gather information about service personnel as well as their last known addresses in Canada. 1,945 service personnel honoured The data was cross-referenced with Canada Post records to confirm that the addresses for the 1,945 service personnel chosen to be honoured — who died between July 1944 and May 1945 -- still exist. "We know the number seems somewhat arbitrary, but we figured that with the symbolic (year) number of 1945, choosing 1,945 postcards to send felt like the right thing," said Falk. Another postcard was sent to an address in New Glasgow, N.S., where Cpl. Gerald Austin Ellis lived. A native of Digby, N.S., Ellis was a machinist at the nearby Trenton Industries steel plant prior to enlisting in the army in February 1944. Ellis landed in Europe in September 1944 and fought in the Netherlands where he was killed in action on Feb. 27, 1945. He is buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery and is one of more than 45,000 Canadians who died in the war -- with about 14,000 killed in Europe during the conflict's final months. After the carnage of the Allied breakout from Normandy inAugust 1944, the Canadian Army took part in the pursuit of German forces through France and into Belgium before liberating the Netherlands and striking into Germany. 'The response was overwhelming' Falk said the centre's latest postcard campaign is its third; the idea was initially conceived to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019, with about 200 postcards being mailed. A similar campaign was used in 2022 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. "We found that the response was overwhelming," said Falk, who added that the campaign helps the D-Day museum at Juno Beach in France reach Canadians at home. "There is a pilgrimage spot for Canadians to go over and learn more, but we know that not everyone can make that trip," said Falk.
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
WW2 postcard campaign reminds homeowners that fallen ‘lived where you live'
HALIFAX - Over the last week, selected homes across Canada received poignant reminders of military members who fought and died in the final months of the Second World War. Each address was mailed a postcard with the name, story and fate of an individual soldier, sailor or airman who had lived there prior to enlisting in Canada's war effort. As part of its 'He Lived Where You Live' program, the Juno Beach Centre — Canada's war memorial museum in Normandy, France — issued postcards to 1,945 addresses to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945. At their Toronto home, Gary Domski and his family recently received a postcard commemorating Pte. Peter Forbes Flett, a member of the Highland Light Infantry of Canada who died on Nov. 2, 1944, at the age of 20 — two days after he was wounded fighting in the Netherlands. Flett is buried at the Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in Belgium. Domski said in an interview Thursday that he was already familiar with Flett's story prior to receiving the postcard because of a letter that had been dropped off by one of the late soldier's relatives. It detailed the family's history at the residence, which Domski bought about 10 years ago. He said he tries to make sure his three children are aware of Canadian history, adding that getting the postcard 'connects you personally to the event and to the sacrifice.' 'It definitely brings a different perspective to someone that lost their life, and being a parent with a son it kind of hits you,' Domski said. 'This (card) is a great reminder … and I think it's a great thing to unify the country.' Sal Falk, a spokesperson for the Juno Beach Centre Association, said the aim is to pay tribute to Canada's war fallen, while making sure that communities can connect with the personal stories and the overall history of the war. 'It's a pivotal moment in Canada as we all know with a heightened sense of pride and trying to figure out our identity,' said Falk. 'I think this is a piece of Canadian history that everyone can rally behind, understanding that people who served from across the country … came from every walk of life, every neighbourhood and every community.' Over the last two years the centre conducted research using digitized files from Library and Archives Canada as well as the archives of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to gather information about service personnel as well as their last known addresses in Canada. The data was cross-referenced with Canada Post records to confirm that the addresses for the 1,945 service personnel chosen to be honoured — who died between July 1944 and May 1945 — still exist. 'We know the number seems somewhat arbitrary, but we figured that with the symbolic (year) number of 1945, choosing 1,945 postcards to send felt like the right thing,' said Falk. Another postcard was sent to an address in New Glasgow, N.S., where Cpl. Gerald Austin Ellis lived. A native of Digby, N.S., Ellis was a machinist at the nearby Trenton Industries steel plant prior to enlisting in the army in February 1944. Ellis landed in Europe in September 1944 and fought in the Netherlands where he was killed in action on Feb. 27, 1945. He is buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery and is one of more than 45,000 Canadians who died in the war — with about 14,000 killed in Europe during the conflict's final months. After the carnage of the Allied breakout from Normandy in August 1944, the Canadian Army took part in the pursuit of German forces through France and into Belgium before liberating the Netherlands and striking into Germany. Falk said the centre's latest postcard campaign is its third; the idea was initially conceived to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019, with about 200 postcards being mailed. A similar campaign was used in 2022 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. 'We found that the response was overwhelming,' said Falk, who added that the campaign helps the D-Day museum at Juno Beach in France reach Canadians at home. 'There is a pilgrimage spot for Canadians to go over and learn more, but we know that not everyone can make that trip,' said Falk. 'So this helps make sure that history gets into the homes of Canadians.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.
Toronto Star
25-04-2025
- General
- Toronto Star
WW2 postcard campaign reminds homeowners that fallen ‘lived where you live'
HALIFAX - Over the last week, selected homes across Canada received poignant reminders of military members who fought and died in the final months of the Second World War. Each address was mailed a postcard with the name, story and fate of an individual soldier, sailor or airman who had lived there prior to enlisting in Canada's war effort. As part of its 'He Lived Where You Live' program, the Juno Beach Centre — Canada's war memorial museum in Normandy, France — issued postcards to 1,945 addresses to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW At their Toronto home, Gary Domski and his family recently received a postcard commemorating Pte. Peter Forbes Flett, a member of the Highland Light Infantry of Canada who died on Nov. 2, 1944, at the age of 20 — two days after he was wounded fighting in the Netherlands. Flett is buried at the Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in Belgium. Domski said in an interview Thursday that he was already familiar with Flett's story prior to receiving the postcard because of a letter that had been dropped off by one of the late soldier's relatives. It detailed the family's history at the residence, which Domski bought about 10 years ago. He said he tries to make sure his three children are aware of Canadian history, adding that getting the postcard 'connects you personally to the event and to the sacrifice.' 'It definitely brings a different perspective to someone that lost their life, and being a parent with a son it kind of hits you,' Domski said. 'This (card) is a great reminder … and I think it's a great thing to unify the country.' Sal Falk, a spokesperson for the Juno Beach Centre Association, said the aim is to pay tribute to Canada's war fallen, while making sure that communities can connect with the personal stories and the overall history of the war. 'It's a pivotal moment in Canada as we all know with a heightened sense of pride and trying to figure out our identity,' said Falk. 'I think this is a piece of Canadian history that everyone can rally behind, understanding that people who served from across the country … came from every walk of life, every neighbourhood and every community.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Over the last two years the centre conducted research using digitized files from Library and Archives Canada as well as the archives of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to gather information about service personnel as well as their last known addresses in Canada. The data was cross-referenced with Canada Post records to confirm that the addresses for the 1,945 service personnel chosen to be honoured — who died between July 1944 and May 1945 — still exist. 'We know the number seems somewhat arbitrary, but we figured that with the symbolic (year) number of 1945, choosing 1,945 postcards to send felt like the right thing,' said Falk. Another postcard was sent to an address in New Glasgow, N.S., where Cpl. Gerald Austin Ellis lived. A native of Digby, N.S., Ellis was a machinist at the nearby Trenton Industries steel plant prior to enlisting in the army in February 1944. Ellis landed in Europe in September 1944 and fought in the Netherlands where he was killed in action on Feb. 27, 1945. He is buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery and is one of more than 45,000 Canadians who died in the war — with about 14,000 killed in Europe during the conflict's final months. After the carnage of the Allied breakout from Normandy in August 1944, the Canadian Army took part in the pursuit of German forces through France and into Belgium before liberating the Netherlands and striking into Germany. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Falk said the centre's latest postcard campaign is its third; the idea was initially conceived to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019, with about 200 postcards being mailed. A similar campaign was used in 2022 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. 'We found that the response was overwhelming,' said Falk, who added that the campaign helps the D-Day museum at Juno Beach in France reach Canadians at home. 'There is a pilgrimage spot for Canadians to go over and learn more, but we know that not everyone can make that trip,' said Falk. 'So this helps make sure that history gets into the homes of Canadians.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.
